How old is that building? Who built it? Who used it, and for what purpose? What stories does that building hold?
Those were the types of questions explored during the second annual Roy Williams Memorial Lecture, given by noted local architectural historian Brittany Lavelle Tulla.
On Tuesday, May 20, Tulla, who holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from Clemson, captivated her audience at Sunrise Presbyterian Church with a presentation titled “Every Building Has a Story: The Powerful Role Historic Research Plays in Historic Preservation.”
Battery Gadsden Cultural Center sponsored the Second Annual Roy Williams Memorial Lecture in Historic Preservation as a tribute to the man widely considered the Sullivan’s Island historian, the late Roy Williams, who died in March 2023. His book, Sullivan’s Island, part of the Images of America series published by Arcadia Press, faithfully detailed in pictures and words many of the island’s unique homes and other buildings. As the speaker noted, Roy’s book is still used today as a reference for many of the island’s historic homes that have since disappeared.
Tulla showed several Sullivan’s Island projects she has worked on and then delved into the many tools she and her company use to uncover the hidden stories of historic buildings. Using four examples of recent projects her company has worked on, she illustrated how documents, maps, newspapers and photographs aid in this fascinating detective work.
The Starlight Motor Inn on Rivers Avenue was a derelict midcentury motel known as the Host of America that was scheduled to be bulldozed. But using all the tools at their disposal, Tulla and her associates discovered that it actually represented a one-of-a-kind construction technique in which prefabricated guest rooms were inserted into a metal framework. That made it eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places thanks to its unique method of construction. The story of its transformation back into a lovely, fully functional motor inn was amazing.
In downtown Charleston, the owner of a classic Charleston single house was curious enough to have BVL explore its 18th-century roots, leading to the discovery of hidden wallpaper and the bright colors that originally graced the structure, as well as the story of the enslaved servants who once worked there.
The evening ended with the story of Hebron Zion Presbyterian Church on John’s Island, where uncovered history helped restore not only the building but also the congregation.
Tulla concluded the talk by honoring the generation of historic researchers who came before her, including Roy Williams. As she said, “Their work in the mid- to late twentieth century truly set the foundation for the current generation of historic preservation professionals in advocating for the character and historic integrity of our Lowcountry communities.”
The Second Annual Roy Williams Memorial Lecture can be viewed in its entirety through the Battery Gadsden Cultural Center Facebook page: facebook.com/BatteryGadsden/videos/1007170531541141.